The gorgeous boy below is my German Shepherd, when he was a young puppy he stopped eating.
For about 24 weeks (6 months) he has stopped eating.
I tried every brand of food from my vet...
But every time I filled Oliver's bowl with food, he would look at it and slowly walk away as if it were a loaded gun.
At one point I was sitting on the floor, tears rolling down my face, trying to feed him by hand.
I was at my wit's end and he was losing weight - fast.
If he ate, it wouldn't be long before he threw it all up again. And he was also having the most terrible belly flop. He had a lot of it, and it stunk!
In the background, I had already started researching the best raw foods for German Shepherds. And the longer this drama went on, the more I became convinced that something had to change. But more on that in a minute...
I was terrified of switching to a raw diet, but the more research I did, the more I was afraid to feed my dog kibble...
I often receive emails from German Shepherd owners dealing with similar issues. These emails usually look like this:
"I have a 10 week old German Shepherd who has lost interest in his kibble. I don't have much confidence in the quality of the food and am looking for an alternative. Every time I think I've found a good brand, I get negative reviews and it's back to the drawing board. What would you recommend for feeding my puppy?
And this one too:
"...She eats the same food but I change it because I've read horrible things about it on other sites and she has sometimes thrown it up undigested a few hours later."
If you're new to raw food, the easiest way to change your diet is to rely on high-quality, pre-made frozen meals.
And that's how I started almost 7 years ago. I've done everything from pre-made frozen meals to grinding and blending my meals. And today, I follow a more whole-food, prey, or frankenprey oriented eating pattern.
In this article, I'm going to share my primer on raw feeding to give you a high-level overview of how raw feeding works.
So read on to find out everything you need to know about getting your German Shepherd the food he needs from the best foods available.
Why Do Dog Owners Question Commercial Dog Foods?
Table of Contents
Nutrition is an important topic, so I decided to share how I manage my dogs' nutritional needs. And from the title of this article, you can already tell that I feed my dog raw food.
If the idea of feeding your German Shepherd a raw diet scares you, you're not alone. There is a ton of information out there. Some of it is good, some of it is bad and some of it is dangerous. And because you love your dog, it's natural for you to be cautious.
I was careful too. I needed to be 100% sure I was choosing the best raw food for my German Shepherds. By the way, if you're thinking of buying a product or toy for your German Shepherd dog, check out my favorite articles below:
This article contains some affiliate links. We can receive a commission from the companies listed here on qualifying purchases. It doesn't cost you anything extra and we are very grateful for any support.
But the more I researched, the more I was afraid to feed my dog kibble...
First of all, I want to say that this is not about making kibble eaters feel bad. I was a kibble eater for a long time myself. Feeding a raw diet may not be for you. And that's okay. You can still go with kibble, but with a few changes...
- Switch to grain-free kibble
- Choose a kibble that is certified organic and made from whole foods.
- Choose a company that makes small batches. These foods generally have a shorter shelf life, which is a good thing.
Or better yet, start cooking for your dog. It's much better than any kibble diet in the world.
For years, the big commercial food manufacturers have been stuffing their products without our knowledge. They package them all nicely. And sell them as "a complete diet."
But you're not here to read my speech. You are here to find the best raw food for German Shepherds. Isn't it?
Why Are Ingredients Important?
Here is a list of ingredients for a large breed puppy food from a well-known premium dog food...
Chicken meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain oats, whole grain sorghum, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, pork fat, chicken liver flavor, flaxseed, dried beet pulp, fish oil, lactic acid, pork flavor, iodized salt, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin A supplement, Calcium pantothenate, Vitamin B12 supplement, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Folic acid, Vitamin D3 supplement), Taurine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc oxide, Copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), oat fiber, L-carnitine, mixed tocopherols for freshness, natural flavors, beta-carotene, apples, broccoli, carrots, cranberries, green peas.
First of all, as everyone will tell you, the fewer ingredients the better. More ingredients mean the food has been altered and processed. This list has 46 ingredients!
Also, the basic rule of thumb for any ingredient list is...
The higher the order, the more there are. So let's do a quick analysis...
Looking at ingredients 2 through 6, what do you notice?
Yes, it's wheat, oats, sorghum, corn, and more corn.
And nowhere in the first seven ingredients do you see anything that looks like muscle meat!
The Chicken Meal
Chicken meal makes up the majority of the diet. What is a chicken meal?
Note: Chicken meal, or any other animal meal, is acceptable if it is part of the protein (not all of it). For example, if the ingredients are chicken, chicken liver, chicken heart, chicken gizzards, chicken meal.
According to the AAFCO, the meal is "the dry rendered product obtained from a combination of clean chicken meat and skin, with or without bones, from whole chicken carcasses, excluding feathers, heads, feet, and entrails."
Cereals
Next, the grains I just mentioned...
We have whole wheat, whole oats, whole sorghum, corn gluten meal, and whole corn. These ingredients are used as fillers.
It is much less expensive to fill the food this way than to use real whole meats that are fit for human consumption.
Yes, these are also sources of protein, but they are incomplete proteins and your pooch is not designed to need grains.
This tells you that your dog is getting a whole lot of stuff that he doesn't need and that is not designed to be digested.
Animal Fat
Next, we have pork fat...
I must admit, I love fried bacon. And I especially love dipping my toast in the fat.
Of course, our dogs need fat - it's essential for their health, so I'm not arguing about the fat, but I am questioning the quality of the fat used.
And here's the thing about fat...
It greatly reduces the shelf life of any product. So to prevent the kibble from rotting, it is cooked at incredibly high temperatures. This process makes the kibble sterile.
The next shocking ingredient is salt. Seriously, they add iodized salt to our best friends' food. Sure, sodium chloride is vital for health, mineral balance, and more.
But I'm not a fan of iodized salt. I much prefer a more natural Himalayan rock salt or a natural sea salt.
Okay, I'm not going to go through all the ingredients and in all honesty, I can't even pronounce some of them. But you get the picture.
Ingredients That Really Matter
Now, look at the last 5 ingredients...
Apples, broccoli, carrots, cranberries, and green peas. These are the only ingredients that are far from healthy, and they are at the very bottom of the list.
They don't even cut. And even if they were, the kibble is still sterile, just like these ingredients.
So What Is The Best Raw Food For German Shepherds?
Before choosing the best raw food for your German Shepherd, you should first know a few "tricks of the trade"...
The different types of raw food diets:
There are basically two schools of thought in the field of raw feeding.
I would say right off the bat that there is a lot of politics and bickering about which one is better.
If you can give yourself some advice, don't get carried away. If you do, you'll never make the change. Stick to the facts and focus on the benefits.
The BARF Dog Diet:
I feed my dogs a BARF diet. Although I replace two meals a week with Raw Meaty Bones.
I know, the word BARF conjures up images that border on disgusting, but don't let that deter you.
The BARF diet was advocated by an Australian veterinarian named Dr. Ian Billinghurst. In the early days of BARF, Billinghurst advocated lots of bones. But over the years, the diet has been improved. So if you come across websites with this information, ignore them.
Many moons ago, BARF stood for Bones And Raw Food. But today it is known as Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.
And that's what it comes down to. A food that is appropriate for your dog based on its biological makeup.
With the BARF diet, all whole foods are prepared by grinding. This includes all muscle meat, bones, offal, fruits, and vegetables.
The BARF diet also includes ingredients such as:
- Eggs and eggshells
- Yogurt
- Seeds (such as flax)
- Oils (such as olive, cold-pressed sunflower, and even coconut) Grains (such as rosemary, soybean, and corn)
- Herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, alfalfa) And root crops such
- And root crops like ginger.
Although BARF eaters believe that dogs are carnivores. In the wild, wolves are opportunistic hunters. But they will also forage if the opportunity arises. This means they will eat what they can when they can.
The Whole Prey Diet:
The Whole Prey model or diet is just that, feeding your dog a whole prey animal or part of it. For example a chicken.
Some prey models offer their dog the chicken with head, legs, feathers, fur, and all.
Others prefer to offer prey already cleaned. This is the same as what you buy for your wall at the grocery store.
Generally, the whole prey model does not include ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, yogurt, herbs, and other root crops.
This is because breeders who use the Whole Prey diet believe that dogs are carnivores, biologically designed to eat only meat.
Interestingly, however, wolves sometimes eat the vegetation left in their stomachs.
BARF or Whole Prey?
As I said before, there is a lot of politics between the two groups. But I know many raw food feeders who successfully feed a mixture of BARF and Whole Prey.
And in my opinion, it doesn't matter which one you choose. The end result is the same. A dog that is functioning at its optimal level mentally and physically.
In the end, all we want is the best raw food for German Shepherds. Whether it's BARF or Whole Prey, it's a personal choice and it's what works best for your German Shepherd dog.
Raw Feeding, How Does It Work?
The first thing to remember with raw feeding is that everything is balanced over time.
Think about your diet, do you carefully calculate the nutritional value of your daily food intake? Probably not. You eat healthily, you take in enough water and your body takes care of the rest.
The same goes for your dog's diet. Don't split hairs.
The calcium to phosphorus ratio should be 1:1. Meats provide the phosphorus and bones provide the calcium.
Foods such as shell eggs, green tripe, and who, le chickens are fairly balanced in these ratios. Some fish, like salmon, are also well-balanced. And of course, if you feed a whole prey animal, you are guaranteed a good 1:1 ratio.
Giblets, such as kidneys and liver, are important ingredients. But they should only make up 15% of your dog's diet. Too much of these meats can cause black poop to flow.
You can also feed the disgusting parts of prey animals. Hearts, lungs, chicken or turkey feet, and green tripe are all excellent ingredients.
I don't feed fish or pork. But you can. If you do, just freeze these meats for at least 3 days.
Never feed the intestines of a prey animal. If there are internal creatures, that is where they will be.
Cooked bones are not allowed. Raw bones are great! They are soft, flexible, and easily digested. The rule here is that the bone must be the size of your dog's head.
Load-bearing bones are also not allowed. These bones are too hard and can damage your dog's teeth.
ALL meals involving a whole bone must be supervised. And you must remove all bones when they start to break. (To clarify here, if you offer heavier bones for entertainment, these must be removed when they begin to break). ) But if you are feeding, say a duck carcass, you can let your dog enjoy the whole thing.
How much to feed a German Shepherd?
This is where I got unstuck...
When it came to feeding my dogs, all I knew was to take the recommended amount of kibble from the bag and pour it into their bowls.
But the recommendations for raw feeding are actually very simple!
The key is to always focus on the ideal adult weight. Then, from there, adjust based on activity level and age.
And the starting point is usually 3% of IDEAL body weight.
So, for example...
Oliver weighs 23 kg. So 3% is 690g of food per day.
Chams weigh 36 kg. So 3% is about 1 kg of food per day.
When you start feeding a puppy a raw diet, you should focus on his ideal ADULT body weight.
Raw Food Ingredients
As I said before, no meal is complete. But with healthy eating, a diet will balance itself out over time.
Variety is the key to balance, and it's easier than you think. And you'll be happy to know that diversity equals a lot of savings for you.
That's how...
Take the cuts of meat, vegetables, and fruit that are special. As long as you opt for human quality, you're good to go.
1- Meat to Muscle
Muscle is the same meat that you and I eat. And these meats are your foundation for a raw diet. The good thing is that your options are endless.
- Chicken
- Beef Fish
- Fish Duck
- Duck Duck
- Deer Goat
- Goose Moose
- Goose Moose
- Turkey Lamb
- Lamb Lamb
- Rabbit Rabbit
- Gutting
- Organ meats
This is mainly liver and kidney. Here I also put pieces of heart, although it is muscle meat. The reason is that hearts cannot be fed exclusively with muscle meat.
2- Cereals
Yes, I have added cereals here. I don't feed grains, but many raw foods do. The difference is that the grains are human grade and you can control the portions. Your dog's raw food will still be mostly meat and not grain.
3- Eggs
Eggs are a supsuperfooden it comes to calcium. You can feed the shell and everything. Some raw egg eaters like to crush the shells. But my dogs love to eat them whole.
4- Vegetables And Fruit
Picking seasonal fruits and vegetables is a great way to save money and diversify. Dark green vegetables are especially healthy for the same reason they are healthy for us: vitamin B.
These superfoods also help your dog get the most out of the food you feed his body. Your dog's body cannot completely digest vegetables. That's why I put the raw vegetables and fruits in the food processor with the other ingredients. But you can also steam them or juice them.
It's a fact that our bodies and dogs are designed to make the most of seasonal fruits. And here too, you have a ton of options.
5- Bones
Bones are not an optional extra, they are essential to your dog's raw diet. Remember that 1:1 ratio? Well, bones make up half.
You can feed your dog whole raw bones. But I send all the bones through the processor.
Bones are not only an excellent source of calcium, but they also stimulate your dog's need to rip, tear, gnaw and chew. That's why I replace two meals a week with a large raw bone.
What to Expect
It's not rocket science, but there are things you can expect. That doesn't mean they will happen, but I'll give you a heads up so you don't get stressed out.
First of all, fast your dog for 12 hours before giving him his first raw meal. This gives him time to get rid of the kibble and rebalance his stomach juices.
Your dog may vomit his first raw meal. This is normal, so don't cut the hair. If they vomit. Do not feed them again until their next meal. Chams and Oliver threw up their food, but Esprit kept his. So it depends from dog to dog.
You may see symptoms of detoxification. This can happen. Chams went through detox, but my pups did not. I believe this is because Chams lived on a kibble diet for the first 6 years of his life, while Oliver and Esprit were raw for 12 and 16 weeks.
Here are some of the symptoms of detoxification:
- Bulging eyes.
- Smelly ears that need to be cleaned regularly.
- A smelly coat, smellier than usual.
- Itchy skin, which we have been able to soothe with a natural dog shampoo.
Pre-made raw food or homemade food?
This is a decision only you can make. Of course, it's more convenient to go with pre-made raw food. And there are one or two reliable companies where you can buy your food.
Opting for a homemade diet means more work and more commitment. You'll also need to set aside some initial funding to buy the right equipment. But you'll save money by sourcing the ingredients yourself. That way, at some point, the equipment will have paid for itself.
I decided to prepare a homemade diet. I make about 76 kg per month. Wow, that's a lot, I know. But I'm in a routine now, so it's rote. And I'm calling on my husband to help me!
So there you have it. This is my take take for German Shepherds. As you can see, I don't prefer one over the other. As I said earlier, you get the same results by different routes.
Quick Checklist For Judging A Raw Dog Food And The Manufacturer
You can use this short checklist to find the best raw food for German Shepherds.
- Ingredients must be of human-grade.
- All ingredients must be of ethical origin.
- Preferably from small farmers or wild meat from remote areas.
- Companies that can tell you exactly where their ingredients come from
- Companies that produce their food in small batches
- Food that is free of additives, hormones, and toxins
I am passionate about dog nutrition and am constantly studying new research and developments in this field. I would love to help you if you have any doubts or questions. Please feel free to leave them in the comments below.
